Guzmania plant named ‘Amoretto’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Guzmania  plant named ‘Amoretto’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong scapes; inflorescences with showy orange red-colored bracts; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Guzmania hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AMORETTO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant, botanically known as Guzmania hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Amoretto’.

The new Guzmania plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Laarne, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Guzmania plants having unique flower colors and enhanced postproduction longevity.

The new Guzmania originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in May, 2007 in Laarne, Belgium of an unnamed proprietary selection of Guzmania hybrida, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with unnamed proprietary selection of Guzmania wittmackii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Guzmania plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Laarne, Belgium in November, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Guzmania plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Laarne, Belgium since December, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Guzmania plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Guzmania have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Amoretto’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Amoretto’ as a new and distinct Guzmania plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong         scapes.     -   4. Inflorescences with showy orange red-colored bracts.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Guzmania are larger than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in inflorescence bract color as plants of the new Guzmania have orange red-colored bracts whereas plants of the male parent selection have orange-colored bracts.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of Guzmania hybrida ‘Ostara’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Laarne, Belgium, plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Ostara’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Guzmania had shorter and broader leaves         than plants of ‘Ostara’.     -   2. Plants of the new Guzmania flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of ‘Ostara’.     -   3. Plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Ostara’ differed in         inflorescence bract color as plants of ‘Ostara’ had         lighter-colored bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Guzmania plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Guzmania plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Amoretto’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Amoretto’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Laarne, Belgium and under cultural practices typical of commercial Guzmania production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and maximum light levels were about 18,000 lux. Plants were three years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Guzmania hybrida ‘Amoretto’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Guzmania hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Guzmania wittmackii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly             arching plant habit; basal rosette of outwardly curved             strap-like leaves affixed in tight spiral ranks; terminal             inflorescence on an upright scape which emerges from the             center of the basal rosette; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About             54.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 67.5 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves             sessile.         -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Plants typically produce about             25 leaves prior to inflorescence development.         -   Shape.—Ligulate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—About 38.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Aspect.—Leaves curved outward over their length and arching             downward towards the apex.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Leathery, stiff; smooth,             glabrous.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;             towards the base, close to 146D. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146A; towards the base, close to 146D.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between N137A             and 147A; towards the base, close to 146C to 146D; venation,             similar to lamina colors. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to between 146A and 147B; towards the base,             close to 146C to 146D; venation, similar to lamina colors. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal inflorescences with showy             bracts; inflorescences supported on erect and strong scapes.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 16 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 23 cm.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Guzmania             are long-lasting; bract coloration is maintained for about             four to five months; inflorescences persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Guzmania             typically flower during the winter.         -   Flowers.—Arrangement: Single small flowers in clusters with             about 120 flowers developing per inflorescence; flowers are             clustered near the apex of the inflorescence and open more             or less simultaneously. Diameter: About 4 mm. Depth             (height): About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Close to 14A to 14B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Six petals             arranged in two whorls. Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About             4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Color, immature and             mature: Close to 13A; towards the apex, close to 17A to 17B;             towards the base, close to 150C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 4.9 cm.             Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Broadly acute to             obtuse. Base: Broadly cuneate. Color, immature and mature:             Close to 8B; towards the apex, close to 9B.         -   Scape.—Length: About 42 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 9 mm. Anther length: About 7 mm.             Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 155A.             Pollen: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style             color: Close to 154D. Stigma shape: Clavate, three-lobed.             Stigma color: Close to 154C to 154D. Ovary color: Close to             154C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Guzmania.         -   Terminal bracts.—Length: About 15.1 cm. Width: About 3.9 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate or ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing             the scape. Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             N30A becoming closer to 33A; towards the base, close to             145C. Color, lower surface: Close to 34A; towards the base,             close to N144A.         -   Scape bracts.—Length: About 19.2 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate or ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing             the scape. Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             34A; towards the apex, close to N137B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 42A; towards the apex, close to 146A to 146B.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Guzmania have been observed to tolerate high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 10.

-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Guzmania have not been     observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to Guzmania     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Amoretto’ as illustrated and described. 